The room stays quiet after Gloria Lorraine stops talking. Nobody moves. After a moment I hit the Stop button and GL sags in the couch. “You didn’t say ‘Cut,’” she whispers. Then AmberLea is beside her, holding her.
I go outside. It’s clouded over, but still not dark. The streetlights and the SUPERIOR MOTEL sign have come on though. I don’t know what to think, except, It’s all true. Which means, among other things, that we really were chased by mobsters. Almost out of habit, I look up and down the highway: no black Lincoln Navigators. That all seems a million years ago anyway.
I’m not sure what to feel either, except sad, somehow, and confused. To keep from thinking and feeling anymore, I swat away a couple of insects and check my cell for messages. I have to walk around to get a signal. Finally, down near the motel sign, I do. First I text Bun: almost dun. jackfish ghost town tomorrow morning. There’s another message from Deb, suggesting a restaurant in New York that Gloria Lorraine might like, near the AFI, which I know means American Film Institute. Maybe Jer will tell me what GL and I were doing there. My guess is some kind of interview. Jer has been spinning this one hard. I have to admit it’s not how I thought he’d take me disappearing off the face of the earth. Speaking of which, I wonder where he is. Maybe he’s in New York, faking it for us.
The signal has disappeared. I move toward the parking lot and get it back. I text Jer: thanx. Then I text him again: dun mon am. can u meet in Marathon ON Superior motel or I go to Buf? Now that it’s almost over, it won’t hurt to tell, and besides, it doesn’t sound like there’s a game plan yet for getting home. I wonder if he can get here by Monday morning from wherever he is. It’s not really like asking for a ride home from the mall. But right now it’s too much to wonder about.
That night I sleep in one of Little Mike’s kids’ rooms. I dream Jer and I are driving in the Caddy and the black SUV is catching up to us and no matter how hard I step on the gas we don’t go any faster. What makes it scarier is that somehow I know Grandpa is driving the SUV, except that he’s also with us in the Cadillac and he’s going to pour something in my lap and I don’t know if it’s beer or coffee.
Let’s just say it’s a weird night.